Council facing more cuts over levy boycott

The country’s largest local authority is facing further cuts if an extra 6,000 further householders do not pay household charges by mid- November.

Acting county manager Moira Murrell advised Cork County Council yesterday that Environment Minister Phil Hogan had set the new deadline.

County Hall, she said, will have to reduce spending on its services by a further €170,000 if the additional target of 6,100 is not reached.

The council has already seen central government slash its local government fund by €980,000 due to the high levels of non-payment.

Ms Murrell said, by Friday last, 87,437 householders had registered for the €100 charge in the county. She said it was more than 60% of all the county’s households.

The Department of the Environment had, however, warned the council it faced a further 1% cut in its local government fund which would equate to €340,000, if the 60% figure was not reached.

However, it will have to adjust its budget downward again if compliance of 65% is not achieved by mid- November.

She said county manager Martin Riordan, currently on annual leave, would report to councillors on a revised budget if the target was not met.

Last month, Mr Riordan was forced to outline a series of anticipated cuts to his budget after being made aware of the €980,000 shortfall.

It involved reducing a number of services — water, landfill, roads repairs and public lighting, and cutting the amount of money it had planned to pay out as part of an economic development fund, set up to assist local businesses.

Mr Hogan has decided the local government fund will absorb an amount of the potential shortfall which will result from people not paying the charge.

Local authorities around the country have already experienced reductions of over €15m from the fund.

At a meeting in County Hall yesterday, Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe (FF) said the council was unable to provide grants for people who needed their houses adapted due to disability, or age, because the FG-led Government was unable to collect the charge.

But Cllr Tim Lombard (FG) claimed: “You’re misleading people, as it [the household charge] has no effect on the housing adaptation grant. That’s disgraceful.”

Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF) said a further reduction would have “serious implications for running of council”.

“Engineers are telling me they now have to prioritise which pothole to repair. The people who have paid are also suffering,” Cllr O’Flynn said.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) said he believed many more people would pay up before the deadline and, as a result, the council would not face further cuts.